But he did recruit some of the players that were there when I was including Javonte Green (Chicago Bulls). I know he was a favorite among those players so he has the ability to build relationships, no doubt. You'd have to be really positive to see this as an upgrade. He doesn't have the recruiting connections Mike Jones did (spare me being disappointed in his recruiting), and he was an offensive specialist at VCU, so it doesn't please those who think an assistant will cure the defensive ills of this season. He also doesn't have a recruiting region that is welcome to VT. Richmond is and always will be anti-VT until Team Loaded ceases to be a thing. Having a Richmond recruiting expert already dilutes the area in which he's strongest. But I wouldn't say it's a hard downgrade either. It's just different. He's going to identify with players. He's going to find some diamonds in the rough that you need in order to succeed at a place like VT. They'll be successful during his tenure. He'll likely get some undeserved criticism, but I do envy that if VT returns to form defensively next year he will be seen as a defensive guru and become a Hokie coaching legend on message boards